Le Plus Escroc des deux

A comedy bull’s eye. Michael Caine called Dirty Rotten Scoundrels one of his favorite films he's appeared in, and I don't blame him at all. I'm not familiar with the original with David Niven and Marlon Brando, so fortunately I could avoid unpleasant comparisons and "just" had fun. A convoluted plot was the last thing that would bother me. The film is very funny from the very beginning, when we see Cain posing as a nobleman collecting gifts for African children, but the real rollercoaster starts some twenty minutes in, when Steve Martin becomes Cain's disciple. I thought that I would never see anything better than the scenes with Brother Ruprecht, but then came the bet and a stunningly imaginative performance of con-artist showmanship, a wheelchair and dance trauma, Dr. Schuffhausen and his examination of lame legs, the sailors... Perfect. (19/03/2012)

When two people fight, a third laughs. Even after almost three decades since its premiere, it is still a pleasant and functional comedy with several excellent moments resulting from the mutual rivalry of two swindlers in one arena. Glenne Headly is a good actress, but she lacks that little bit of charisma to keep up with her colleagues, so the majority of the runtime is rightfully dominated by Steve Martin and Michael Caine. It is not so surprising that the seasoned British veteran performs better on screen, embodying his character with charm and nobility. His American counterpart, on the other hand, tends to overplay his portrayal of an uneducated brute. It is paradoxical that even though Caine plays a polished man from a higher class, he actually comes from a neglected working-class housing estate. Overall impression: 65%. (30/09/2015)